30 Jul 2009

Hunt's million dollar AFL deal draws flak

7:40 am on 30 July 2009

The 22-year-old former Brisbane Broncos league star Karmichael Hunt is having to defend himself against accusations of desertion after announcing yesterday he's changing codes to join the AFL, in a three-year deal with the new Gold Coast franchise, believed to be worth more than a million dollars a year.

Hunt, who made his NRL debut at 17, says he's gone to Australian Rules rather than another league club because he never wanted to play against the Broncos.

The Queensland legend Wally Lewis has accused Hunt of defecting just for the money, but Hunt says it was more about the challenge as the first player to go from league to the AFL.